Whiteley Center

A Retreat for Scholarly and Creative Activities

The Helen Riaboff Whiteley Center (HRWC) provides a refuge for established scholars and artists to study, write, create, and interact in a peaceful and quiet environment. It is located at the University of Washington’s (UW) Friday Harbor Laboratories (FHL), a marine science research and education center north of Puget Sound, Washington. Scholars at the HRWC can work in quiet isolation, and also take advantage of opportunities to meet with other HRWC scholars and with scientists working at FHL.

The HRWC has been funded by the Helen R. Whiteley Foundation. The Foundation has worked with UW to provide a place for scholars as they carry out their creative work in the way that FHL served Helen Whiteley in her career. The HRWC is both a tribute to the faculty of UW and an encouragement for scholars of all disciplines and from all places to perform their work in this inspirational setting.

The HRWC is administered by a committee of faculty members largely drawn from various departments of UW faculty.

Intended Uses of the Helen Riaboff Whiteley Center

The HRWC offers a serene and comfortable environment for scholarly work and creative activity. Scholars can work in solitude or in small teams of collaborators, and interact with other HRWC visitors or scientists working at FHL. The Center welcomes applications from scholars or artists of any discipline, whether independent or associated with a university or scholarly institute, locally or abroad.

The mission of the HRWC is to support the completion or significant advancement of well-defined projects. Applicants are expected to outline specific scholarly or artistic goals to be accomplished during their visits. Visits range from a few days to three months. The HRWC is not intended to be a place for the accumulation of new data, for committee or administrative work, or for loosely-defined departmental retreats. It is a phrontistery — a space for study and thinking.

Facilities Rates

Visiting groups should refer to our section on Conferences and Field Trips for information on group costs. Students enrolled in FHL courses or research apprenticeships can find information on Course Costs in the Course section.